


let the good times roll

by pettigrace



Series: ThallenWeek2015 [4]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M, Thallenweek2015, escort AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4055086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pettigrace/pseuds/pettigrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Barry has no date for Captain Singh's wedding, Iris decides to call an escort for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	let the good times roll

Barry sighs when Iris brushes her hands over his shoulders after fixing his tie. 

"This is perfect.", she smiles and steps back to look at his outfit completely. 

They've gone for normal grey suit with black shoes and a dark purple tie, so that it doesn't look like he's about to attend a funeral. Iris has claimed the colour would bring out his eyes even more and almost jumps at seeing her idea be confirmed. 

"That's so great, we'll look amazing together!", Iris beams and pulls him into a hug. 

She's shown him her dress earlier, it's purple as well, a few shades lighter. Joe is going to wear a light purple shirt with a black vest. He has a feeling they'll actually look nice as a family. 

The problem is, they're not exactly attending as a family. 

Why exactly Singh would like to have him at his _wedding_ is beyond him. As far as he knows, that man _hates_ him. He's always looking at him with this mad look in his eyes that has made Barry wonder if Singh is actually capable of positive feelings at all. But basically the whole police station has been invited (except maybe the janitor), so Barry's obligated to attend. 

The thing is, however, Singh sorts the seats by where they work. Which means he won't be able to sit with Joe. Iris will accompany her father and if he doesn't want to sit alone, he'll have to bring someone. 

He can't bring Caitlin because she's a bit wary about weddings -- which is understandable. He can't take Cisco because _well_ , Cisco is Cisco and Barry doesn't even want to imagine what a fiasco Cisco could create at a wedding. 

So basically, he's without a partner. 

Iris must have noticed that he's not with her ramblings about how nice everything will be and touches his cheek softly. "Don't worry, we'll find someone for you.", she tells him with a stern look. 

Barry raises an eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah?" 

"Totally! Maybe you could ask Felicity?", Iris thinks about it. "She'd look _beautiful_ in purple..."

"I think Oliver would kill me.", Barry grimaces when he thinks about the looks Oliver has shot at him when he'd been in Starling. 

"You could just go and ask someone random?", Iris suggests. 

Barry almost starts to laugh. He doesn't think that _hey, we don't know each other but do you want to be my date for a wedding?_ would work that well. Especially not when he's him. 

"We could also call an escort.", Iris mentions. 

"An escort?", Barry repeats, his voice getting high in alarm. 

“Yeah, I mean, why not? You need someone to accompany you and that's what they're there for.", she tells him and starts to open his tie again. 

Barry swallows. He doesn't know what to think about Iris' offer because _hell_ , how awkward will it be to not only go with a stranger but with a _stranger you paid_?

 

-

 

Iris has persuaded him. She's talked him into this so often and for so long that he couldn't do anything but give in. Plus, the wedding is tomorrow and he still doesn't have a date. 

She's called the escort for him after asking if he has any gender preferences. Which he hasn't. While he used to think he was straight (Back when he'd had this bad crush on Iris. At the age of 14, he'd actually built up the courage to tell her only to be rejected. Iris had been nothing but sweet about it but told him he's more like her brother and will always be. For a while their relationship was strained after that but now they're closer than ever, thank God.), he now doesn't even know if he likes any gender more than the others. He's dated a girl in High School but that's it about his experiences. But he likes to look at men, too. 

So he's told Iris gender doesn't matter. His escort is supposed to show up at his place about two hours before the wedding so they could get to know each other at least a bit. Iris has told them which colours to wear, so that they'd fit to him.

He and Iris agreed not to tell Joe that Barry didn't find his companion himself because then he'd only get a lecture about _giving it time_ and _if he had come without a date it wouldn't have mattered_ and all that. They'd also agreed to share the treat because after all, it's been Iris' idea and without her Barry wouldn't have to pay _anything_.

 

-

 

Barry almost freaks out the later it gets. In a few minutes, his date is supposed to be here and he looks like a mess. He'd figured he should only change into the suit later, knowing himself he would've ruined it with food or whatever. He'd tried his best to look casual but now he isn't sure any more if he should great them with the old Star Trek shirt that he's wearing. 

He'd just considered changing when the door bell rings.

For a moment he can't do anything but stare at the door in horror. He hasn't even actually realized that he doesn't even know who's going to accompany him, _hell_ , he doesn't even know their gender. What if they don't get along? If they spend hours and hours ignoring each other? That would be even worse than sitting by yourself. Maybe he should just send them away again, make sure his day won't get worse than he'd thought.

He takes a deep breath and walks over to the door. As soon as he opens it, his mouth falls open.

In front of him stands a blond man, a little bit smaller than Barry. He's wearing a black suit with a dark purple tie that undoubtedly identifies him as his escort. The stranger gives him a smile so bright that his blue eyes seem to sparkle.

“Are you Mr Allen?”, he asks.

“Uh- um, yeah-- yeah, I am.”, Barry answers. “But, uh. Call me Barry?”

The stranger nods and holds out his hand. “Well then. I'm Eddie.”

Barry takes it and when he feels how rough it is against his palm, he might be holding on a bit too long. "Um, come on in."

Eddie smiles even wider at him and follows his lead. He takes out his phone while Barry closes the door. "So, we're attending a wedding?" 

Barry looks at him, a bit startled. He's considered going alone after all, but now that he sees him standing in front of him, looking so good in that suit, he can't say no, can he? "Yeah, that's right."

Eddie nods and puts his phone back into his pocket. "So what am I today? Fake-boyfriend?" 

"Um, no.", Barry blushes. "It-- we don't have-- just don't mention you're hired." 

Eddie pouts at him, looking adorable. "Well, that would have been unprofessional anyways."

Barry looks at him. He does seem professional, as far as he can tell. That isn't much, but he thinks he's done this at least a couple of times before. "So, um, how does this work?"

"Basically I'll just walk around with you.", Eddie answers. "Except you need me to pretend anything--" 

"I, um, we'd have to pretend we've met before.", Barry mentions. 

"Yeah, that's true.", Eddie smiles. "So, where have we met?" 

"I probably ran into you - literally.", Barry says before his mind can even tell him that he's just embarrassed himself. 

Eddie chuckles. "Poured my coffee all over me? And then you had to pay the cleaning.", he suggests. 

Barry looks at him in awe. Okay, he really must be an expert. How should he come up with lies that fast? Him paying the cleaning would explain why he's lost so much money. "And then I invited you for coffee?" 

"So I'm a fake boyfriend after all?", Eddie asks. 

"Well, I can't exactly take a stranger, can I?"

"Technically you are."

Barry has planned to roll his eyes at him but when he sees Eddie give him an apologetic smile accompanied by a shrug, all he can do is sigh. “Which nobody should know-- or else I'll never hear the end of it.”

“Okay, so how long do we know each other?”

Barry shrugs. “I don't know. Four weeks maybe?”, he suggests.

“And then you're already taking me to a wedding?”, Eddie smirks, almost sounding as if he were _flirting_.

“Well, I was desperate for a date.”

 

-

 

They do make a good couple, objectively speaking, Barry notices when he's put on his suit and looking at himself in the mirror. Eddie's come up behind him, probably to get a look at Barry's outfit. They fit together.

When Eddie offers to knot his tie (Barry really should learn to do that himself soon), he can barely stay calm because they're so close to each other all of sudden. He can feel Eddie's knuckles brush against the skin of his neck, giving him goosebumps.

 

 

“Whose wedding is it, by the way?“, Eddie asks when they sit in the cab bringing them to their destination.

“Um, my boss.”

“What do you work as?”, Eddie wants to know and when he sees how Barry's raises his eyebrow, he adds, “Hey, I suppose I should know that after a month.”

Barry shrugs. “I'm a forensic scientist at the CCPD.”

At that Eddie starts laughing.

Why is he laughing? Does he not believe him? Sure, Barry's heard often enough how long he looks so maybe that's why he thinks Barry can't--

“Sorry.”, Eddie says, calming down a bit. “It's just-- You're telling me we're now going to lie to a whole wedding party of police officers?”

Oh, Barry hadn't even thought about that. “Well. Isn't that your job?”

Eddie sighs. “Yeah, but usually not with people who detect liars for a living.”

Barry smiles at him and, without thinking, takes his hand. “It's gonna be all right.”

 

-

 

They're greeted by Iris, who comes running up to them once they're out of the cab. She hugs Barry quickly and while shooting a look at Eddie, she squeaks, “You look amazing together!”

Barry chuckles. “Eddie, meet Iris, my best friend. Iris – Eddie.”

Eddie smiles at Iris and shakes her hand.

Iris leans forward to whisper into his ear, “I know about you. Nobody else does, though.” Then she lets go of him. “Nice to meet you.”

Behind her, Barry can see Joe approaching and leans over to Eddie. “That's Iris' dad. And my foster father.”, he tells him and gives his arm a nudge when he sees him swallow.

Iris' laughs. “You're really cute together, you sure you--?” She stops when Joe places an arm on her waist.

“Hey, Bar.”, Joe smiles at him. Then he looks at Eddie and raises an eyebrow.

“Um, hello, Sir.”, Eddie says quickly. “You must be Barry's dad. I'm Eddie.”

Joe only nods at him before turning to Barry. “You didn't tell me you were seeing anyone, Bar.”

“Um, well, actually--”, Barry starts, not sure how to lie to Joe when he looks at him like _that_. He knows exactly that Joe probably enjoys irritating Eddie, he's seen him do the same to all of Iris' past boyfriends, so he's glad when she exclaims, "We need to take a picture!"

As she takes out her phone, the men huddle together, Barry between Joe and Eddie who steps closer as if it were natural. Iris takes the picture standing in front of Barry and Joe, tells them to smile and then it's done already. 

"We really look good together!", she cheers and for some reason Barry starts thinking she's nervous too because she's barely said anything other than that for the last few days.   
She looks down on the picture and shows it to him. He hasn't even realised just how close Eddie's been, there are only mere inches between their faces. Before he can say his own judgement, though, Joe tells them it's time for the ceremony to start, so they rush into the church.

 

-

 

It isn't determined how they have to sit during the ceremony, _thank god_ , so Barry finds himself between Iris and Eddie soon, Iris hugging his arm and crying and for some reason Eddie is holding his hand. He guesses that's what happy couples would do while watching a wedding, so he goes with it.

 

-

 

After the ceremony, when Singh and his boyfriend are official husbands, all the guests are queueing up to say the congratulations. Barry guesses he'll have to do that, too, but tells Eddie to stay where he is since he doesn't even know Singh and he wants to avoid questions.

Eddie nods with a smile and tells him, "Come back soon.", which makes Barry's stomach jump. 

  
Singh isn't as cold as he usually is, he actually laughs and says how impressed he is because for once, Barry has been on time and Barry is irritated if not scared because _how long will it last_? So he leaves again as fast as he can without being rude. 

  
When he walks back to where he's left Eddie, he can see how the latter is engaged in a conversation with Joe. Barry can do nothing but hope Eddie doesn't fuck up. 

"Um, at the moment I'm studying, actually.", he hears Eddie say. "I, uh, I actually planned to go into police business as well.", he adds and scratches the back of his head. 

Joe nods with a stern expression and tells him, "That ain't easy, son." 

"I know, Sir.", Eddie answers and sounds very believable. 

Just when Barry decides to step into the picture, Joe says, "You better be careful then, Barry shouldn't lose another important person.", and Barry smiles at that. He really does love Joe. 

"Don't worry, I'd like to spend as much time with Barry as possible, so dying is none of my options.", Eddie answers, maybe it's meant as a joke, but Joe looks into his face and nods again. 

Finally Barry steps closer. "Here I am again."

Both men smile at him and Eddie actually wraps his arm around his waist, which makes Barry blush. Luckily Joe only seems to think it's because of his presence and not because _actually they don't know each other_ and _hey, we're lying into my foster dad's face_ \-- and Barry decides when this whole thing is over, he'll tell Joe about it. 

"Um, I'm gonna look for Iris.", Joe says quickly and touches Barry's shoulder lightly. "See you, Bar.", then he nods at Eddie. 

When he's gone, Barry mutters, "No need to leave a coating, you know?" 

"What do you mean?"

"You told him you wanna become a cop!"

Eddie blinks at him a couple of times. "Yeah, because it's true."

"What?"

Eddie chuckles. "Yes. I'm actually studying to become a cop. I only work as _that_ to pay the rent." 

"Oh. Okay, cool.", Barry says quickly and steps away a bit, so Eddie has to take his hand of his hip. 

"So since you overheard," Eddie smiles, "I'm not exactly a good liar."

Barry crooks an eyebrow. To him, Eddie has sound pretty convincing the whole day. "What do you mean?" 

"I actually want to get to know you, Barry.", Eddie tells him. "You seem like a sweet guy."

Barry blushes and Eddie laughs. It's a happy laugh, a cute and honest one. He actually isn't lying. 

"Okay...?", is everything Barry can say and he's mentally swearing at himself for being so awkward. 

Eddie chuckles again. "How about we're going to dance later and maybe drink something too and then I'll get you home. And on Friday we're going out for dinner. Does that sound like a plan?" 

"Um, yes, I'd like that.", Barry nods. 

"Great.", Eddie smiles and takes his hand again. 

Barry steps closer and thinks he should get Iris a present for coming up with this escort idea.

 

**Author's Note:**

> notice how Barry is wearing the ace flag? my small son


End file.
